It was a full week at Cathedral City Senior Center, from live music and Halloween fun to a spectacular Saguaro Party. Here’s a look at last week.
An Afternoon with Francesca Amari and the Music of Linda Ronstadt
A packed house welcomed Francesca Amari back to the Center on Saturday, October 24, for a wonderful afternoon of Linda Ronstadt’s music with Wayne Abravanel. The crowd’s enthusiasm made her second appearance with us all the more special. Francesca has quickly become a beloved part of our arts series, and we’re grateful to both artists for sharing their extraordinary talent with our members. We can’t wait to welcome her back next season!
More great performances coming up:
- The Music of Marilyn and Alan Bergman, presented by Gene Strange: Thursday, November 12, 5–7 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.) at the Cathedral City Senior Center. Free! RSVP at our front desk or 760-321-1548.
- Love Letters, starring Anne Ambrose and Craig Leibert: Thursday, November 19, 7-9 p.m. at Cathedral City High School. Tickets are $15. Buy tickets here.
Spreading Joy at Cathedral City’s Spooktacular
On Sunday, October 25, we joined Cathedral City’s Spooktacular for another wonderful afternoon of costumes, candy, and happy kids!
And nobody takes this assignment more seriously than our very own Tom Turner—this year’s Scarecrow! Year after year, Tom organizes our participation, rallies the candy donations, and makes absolutely certain that Cathedral City’s children leave our booth with big smiles and plenty of the good stuff.
While other booths may run out of candy, the Senior Center never does! Not on Tom’s watch!
A big thank-you to Tom and fellow volunteers Sharon and Ron, everyone who donated candy, and the City of Cathedral City for bringing our community together for such a fun celebration. It’s one of our favorite traditions!
Thank You to our Elks Angels, Palm Springs Elks Lodge #1905
Becky Jo Cooper and her troop of Elks Angels at Palm Springs Elks Lodge #1905 have become some of our food bank’s most devoted champions. They’ve given so much over the years, and they keep coming through for our neighbors.
On Wednesday, October 28, they arrived with thousands of dollars’ worth of Stater Bros. gift cards, along with food chosen to fill specific gaps on our shelves. This time, that included healthy cereals!
The Elks have taken our food bank to heart. As more seniors and families turn to us for help, their continued generosity helps us keep our shelves stocked and meet a need that just keeps growing. We see what that support means every week, in the groceries our neighbors take home.
Becky Jo and all our Elks Angels, thank you for making this work part of your own. Your friendship means so much to us—and to the people who count on our food bank. We couldn’t be more grateful.
Thank You, Officer Novy and Team
Cathedral City Police Department’s Homeless Liaison Officer Mark Novy helps our unhoused neighbors find a way forward. Working alongside Officer Phillip Garcia, he builds trust over time, helping people connect with housing, treatment, benefits and family. That work takes patience, compassion and a willingness to keep showing up.
On Thursday, October 29, Officer Novy and his team brought that commitment to a resource fair right across the street from the Senior Center. Hosted with the Riverside County Probation Department, the event gathered more than 25 service partners from across the county, offering housing assistance, health care, showers, haircuts, benefits guidance and care for pets. This was the second event in two years, and it continues to grow.
We were glad to welcome the team into the center for a break from the sun, snacks, water and restroom access. We see the importance of this work happening just across our street, and we hope to take a larger role as the fair grows.
Officer Novy and everyone who helped make this happen: thank you for treating our unhoused neighbors with dignity and bringing practical help within reach. We’re proud to support you., stop by the Senior Center and we’ll help connect you with the right resources.
Our Bingo Crowd Knows How to Do Halloween!
Cowboy hats, towering horns, spooky costumes and plenty of candy—our bingo players brought it all on Thursday, October 29! Our Halloween costume contest gave everyone another reason to dress up, share treats, and have a little fun together. And as these pictures show, this crowd takes dressing up seriously!
Congratulations to Debbie for taking first place, and thank you to everyone who brought costumes, candy, and so much Halloween cheer. You made an ordinary Thursday at bingo something worth celebrating.
You’ve also inspired us. Next year, we’re planning to make our Halloween celebration an all-day affair, with programs throughout the center joining in. There’s plenty of room for more costumes, treats, fun because our bingo players have set the bar!
